Meaning & use
nonstop
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Going or continuing without any stops or pauses.
Grammar: Used before a noun to describe a journey, activity, or period that has no breaks.
Patterns
- nonstop flight
- nonstop service
- nonstop party
We took a nonstop flight from London to Tokyo.
The nonstop noise from the construction site kept us awake.
They had a nonstop meeting that lasted six hours.
adverb
Without stopping or pausing; continuously.
Grammar: Used after a verb to show that an action continues without interruption.
Patterns
- work nonstop
- talk nonstop
- rain nonstop
She talked nonstop for an hour.
The baby cried nonstop all night.
It rained nonstop during our holiday.
Common combinations
- nonstop flight
- The nonstop flight takes about ten hours.
- work nonstop
- He worked nonstop to finish the project on time.
- talk nonstop
- She can talk nonstop about her favorite band.
- nonstop rain
- The nonstop rain flooded the streets.
Synonyms and how they differ
- continuous
- More formal; describes something that goes on without a break, often used for things, not people.
- constant
- Suggests something that does not change or stop, often used for annoying or repeated actions.
- ceaseless
- Literary and stronger; means never stopping, often used for natural forces.
Opposites
Commonly confused: nonstop or non-stop?
nonstop vs non-stop
Same meaning; the hyphenated form is also common, especially in British English.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
'Nonstop' can be used as an adverb directly after a verb, so 'flew nonstop' is correct. 'Nonstoply' is not a word; 'a nonstop' would need a noun like 'flight'; and 'nonstop flight' needs an article before it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nonstop”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.